The first Bengali store to open in Jackson Heights was Meghna Grocery in
1992. It has become one of the most popular stores in the Bengali community
of North America, because of the honesty of its owner, Alhaaj M.A. Rouff
(whose nickname is Mr. Rashid). Following in his footsteps, other Bangladeshi
immigrants decided to open businesses in Jackson Heights. There are now more
than fifty Bengali stores within five blocks.

Mr. Rashid opened an audio/video store in the basement of Meghna
Grocery in the mid 1990's, but he closed it immediately. Now in his basement
he has opened an Islamic bookstore. The Koran is in Arabic, Bengali or
English, and there is a large selection of books on Islam. There are also
prayer's mats, Toshbi [similar to prayer beads], clocks that gives Ajans five
times a day [an alarm goes off five times a day, at the time you are supposed
to pray] etc. This is the Bengali Islamic store of its kind.

This year, Mr. Rashid is sponsoring people eager to go on pilgrimage
to Mecca. He is chartering a plane from the Egyptian Airlines for that
purpose. He said he would pay for everything -- including the tickets, the
visa, the hotel, the trip from Mecca to Medina. Included in the group
already are three pious Alems [lay ministers], Mr. Rashid said. The pilgrims
will leave New York for Mecca on February 10th and return on March 7th. Mr.
Rashid also said he will arrange the return trip via Bangladesh, from Mecca,
for those who want to visit their relatives on their way back to New York.
But they have to contact him earlier for that. Mr. Rashid happily stated that
he has already gotten a lot of response.

Mr. Rashid immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1980. He used to live in
Shylet's Bianibazar, in Bangladesh. Now, He lives in Jackson Heights, with
his wife, two sons and daughter.